


Within this World, We're not Alone

by AshSorrows



Series: Within this World, We're not Alone [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-24 00:41:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13202019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshSorrows/pseuds/AshSorrows
Summary: Trapped within, there're some things that you can never quite reach. Caught within this world, all you can do is struggle, scream and cry. And fight. There's always fighting.Could you really be happy, achieving your dreams upon a mountain of shattered dreams?Author's Note:I lost a bet, so I wrote this a couple years back. It's essentially SNK fanfiction, but with my own storyline and characters which exist within the existing universe of SNK. Enjoy, comment if you'd like. It's old, might continue it once I run out of material.





	1. Prologue

“If this line is breached, the tragedy of five years ago will be repeated!”

The Captain’s words echoed slightly in the deserted streets around us. A slight breeze, flowing from over the top of the wall tugged at my fringe. Next to me, I could feel Ziyan tensing up slightly. She ran one finger over Pen’s furred head absentmindedly. The little Furball was squealing in terror, and for the former members of the Scouting Legion, it made our blood boil. Titans were close.

_“So we’re going to stop the titans in their tracks right here!”_

_For Jonathan and I, it wouldn’t be the first time we had fought titans, even as members of the City Garrison. Bloody memories swirled in my mind’s eye, of the savage battles and gory remains that the titans wrought in their paths. I felt his hands encircle mine, and I clutched them tightly. I watched as the heads of the titans, or Eotenas, bobbed over the horizon. They were coming. And either both, or none of us would make it through this._

**“Prepare to intercept!”**

**My breath grew shallow, even as I fidgeted with the grey metallic workings of my 3D-maneuver gear. My hands trembled at the thought of my former kin, just beyond the gates. Even as the first roars reached my ears, I was already flinching backwards, a sphere of nervous tension. Ever so gently I felt his warm breath on my neck, his arms around my waist. I leaned backwards into him. Not only were we assigned to defend the city only, but we were also two of the Scouting Legion’s former star soldiers and it had afforded the two of us a little independence, and privacy. I shakily drew a breath. I had resolved never to go back to the terror. But now the terror had come to me. Damn it all. Just damn it all.**

“Fire!”

“Do you think they’ll be strong ones?” Ziyan quizzed me in a bland tone.

I raised an eyebrow, my head cocking to one side as it did whenever I was thinking. Never did notice that though, till Sarah had pointed it out. Sarah. Tsk. I purged the thought of her with little reluctance. I made a show of brushing my fringe to buy me a little time to think.

I kept my voice nonchalant as I replied. “Probably not. The ones closest to the walls are smaller classes. We’ve rarely seen any bigger classes nearby, let alone anomalies.”

My face twitched as Pen squealed in outrage in Ziyan’s breast pocket. He clambered to get out, wanting to regain his original perch on Ziyan’s shoulder. He was usually quiet when she put him in her pocket. It was never a possibility that Pen would be able to remain on Ziyan’s shoulder as she executed high speed 3D-maneuvers. His squealing was a cause for concern. A very big cause for concern.

Ziyan flipped her hair back, manipulating the red threads into a flat braid. She was prepping for battle. And if she had her way, the rest of her would be colored the same as her blood-red hair. A questioning look adorned her face, signaling she was deep in thought.

“Uhhh… Wanna go over there?” My best friend gestured to the one person I hoped she wouldn’t, eyes widening slightly as she did.

She threw a blank look at her surroundings as she let me mull my answer. The cannon barrage that had been roaring all this time would take a few minutes to settle down. The Captain would not allow us to fight if we weren’t ready for it.

I jogged over to Sarah in answer. The girl leaned on one of the alley walls, obsidian hair slung over one shoulder in a ponytail while dark brooding eyes with matching colors dispassionately viewed my intrusion. She scowled slightly when I leaned on the wall next to her.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Sarah’s reply was apprehensive.

Rightly so, seeing what had gone down between us.

Sarah looked at her feet, crossing her arms. I buried my hands in my pockets. Ziyan had simply faded away. The girl knew when to scoot.

“We could be dead in the next hour,” I say tentatively.

She gave me a small, bemused smile. “So what exactly are you going to do about it?”

The reply was so vulnerable and needy, but at the same time so strong and cold. My body was rigid as I wondered what to do, desperately trying to decipher the cues that determined my next course of action. I jumped a little, jerked out of my thoughts as she lay her head on my shoulder. I couldn’t control the shiver that ran through me as I felt the silk of her hair caress my neck as she leaned into me.

With a little amusement she laughed, “Told you’d I’d have to take the first step. Indecisive jerk.”

I smiled at that, resting my cheek on the top of her head. “Told you I’d never win an argument with you.”

“Only if we make it through this.” She whispered.

“Only if,” I replied.

I wouldn’t put her through the same pain again. I couldn’t.

Ziyan appeared, a neutral look on her face spoiled completely by the half smile she had. The sound of cannons had stopped. It was time for us to show these complacent Garrison soldiers what real soldiers fought like.

“Let’s go.” Ziyan called, one slender hand on her hip.

“Yeah.” I nodded.

A gust tore at our faces as Sarah let loose her grapplers, pulling herself up swiftly to the top of the wall. Her silent answer left a grin on our faces.

_“Charge!”_

_Jonathan and I both left the ground in the same moment, plumes of smoke spiraling out behind us. Next to us glided the trio that we had come to know so well. Sarah flew in the lead as usual, as her companion orbited her in their usual killing formation. I shrugged._

_We zigzagged down the wall, the green plain rushing down towards us. There were few houses here that was tall enough for us to be able to swing up high enough to attack a titan. We’d need to hook onto a titan itself to land the killing blow._

_I disengaged one grapple, and threw it towards a small, five-meter class hanging about the gate. The sharp metal splashed into its flesh and I felt a familiar jerk as I pulled myself to it. I drew my swords, twirling in mid-air. Screaming for all I was worth, I slashed and felt the flesh of its nape give way._

_Landing on its back, I screamed again and buried my swords in its neck and felt it begin to stagger and stumble. Even as I leapt off, I grinned. My first kill. The first of many to come._

_The field was scattered with steam, as we began to make kills. I laughed. This was so easy. It faded. Too easy. Where? My eyes scanned the field. Everywhere the titans fell._

_“There’s more!” the unknown caller alerted me, and I caught another wave marching on us._

_I grimaced. We had merely caught the stragglers. Now came a wall of shrieking, roaring titan flesh. They were packed closely together and the ground rumbled with their approach._

_With a battle cry, the soldiers of the Garrison charged them in a ragged line. The former members of the Scouting Legion led the charge, their clothes already stained red from multiple kills. I had to smile. Perhaps their reputation had some strength to it._

_Where was Jonathan? It didn’t matter. If he died I’d feel it. I’d know. And if he died, so would I._

_There was second of silence as the two forces collided with one another._

_Then abruptly fountains of blood erupted, flesh flew in all directions, limbs rained onto the ground and screams mixed with roars as the soldiers fought with the titans in close combat._

_Roaring, I landed one the nose of one titan. It resembled a male, if all men had noses as long and as thick as a trunk of a tree. Without missing a beat I chopped it off. It reared back in pain, before it jerked forward with unnatural speed. I was already gone, having grappled onto its shoulder. Sticking one sword into the side of its neck for support, I slashed at the nape of its neck. Next._

**“WHY?!” I screamed, fury and despair resonating in my voice.**

**Next to me, Bryan could only tremble in shock and fear. Titans poured through the gates, ripping through the gate defenses. They shook the ground with their angry challenges and I could see the first few Garrison squads begin to engage them. It didn’t matter to me. Even Bryan was afraid. Around us everyone was preparing to fight. Didn’t they get it? What titans inside the city meant?**

**It meant all our friends, infinitely more skilled and far stronger, outside were dead.**

**Death marched for us.**


	2. Just another Day of Work

“Eleventh, huh? That’s too bad,” her voice is quiet, light and lilted.

“Yeah, I guess,” I laugh, trying hard to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “Guess that means you and I are going to different divisions then, ain’t it?”

She sighs and the wooden boards of the wall creak as she leans back on it. Wide, black pupils that sparkle out of control briefly glance at me from the corner of her big eyes. Tucking a tuft of night-colored silk behind her ears, small perfect lips open to reply me. And inside my head, I mentally bashed myself. It wouldn’t do to think of her like that. Not anymore.

“My dad would so never let me go anywhere else but the military police,” she said, pursing her lips even as my blood heats in tandem.

“That’s too bad,” I whisper quietly.

“How about Ziyan?”

“Twelfth, she’s all hyped up for Scouting Legion so she doesn’t care, really.”

“Haha, Pen’s gonna hate her for showing him the world.”

“Meh, he could use it, maybe find some lady hamster out there for him.”

I regret the words as soon as they leave my lungs. As I feared, an awkward silence falls, as Joyce smiles at my little jibe and drops it as she looks away.

I mash my hands into my pockets. It’s always like this whenever we chat. We talk, it starts out well enough, I make it awkward and she ignores me. Short conversations, desperate tries to get to know her better. I shrug, I always knew it was a lost cause. Just didn’t want to admit it.

“Well, it’s been nice knowing you,” I close the conversation.

It’s more merciful to me.

Joyce turns back and raised an eyebrow as she replies, “You too.”

She rises to her full height- her forehead just at my lips – and she makes to leave. Her boots crunch noisily on the wet gravel, crispy echoes bouncing around me as I settle down on the steps of the barracks I had lived in for the past few years.  

Looking around, I take in the small boot camp that has replaced my home, take in the stars that float above me, the small wooden cabins we lived in and the canteen that sat in the middle of it all. The canteen that was currently a whirlwind of activity, as loud singing, accompanied by the musical strums of my squad-mate Ryan most likely, spill out of its windows.

I watch the petite shadow that is Joyce walk back to the brightly lit canteen, its two-story structure having had translucent paper lanterns strung up all over it. The bright rays illuminate her, and the muscular giant figure that comes to welcome her. I watch as she melts into his open arms with an audible squeal, resting her chin on his chest and gazing adoringly into his face.

I’m not sure whether to feel happy or sad, because his eyes aren’t gazing back. Instead they find me in the darkness, as I hide in the shadow of the looming barracks. Where once it might been a gaze of challenge, now it is one of vicious triumphant. I hold that gaze, before I shrink from it. I turn my back on the scene of my abject failure and ignore the man who glares at me.

I walk away from the hub and buzz of the party that currently rages on in the camp. I’m not in the mood for it, and quite honestly I could do without both the sympathetic glances and the happy, malicious ones. Drawing a small breath, I blow out my cheeks and swing my arms in a pinwheel. And then I’m out of camp and onto the Path.

The Path is a dirt road that leads from the only entrance of the boot camp, the rest encircled in a barbed wire fence and forests that weren’t exactly green or lush, to the main parade square of the military camp where all the real soldiers lived. But I’m not headed for the main square.

I casually stroll along the path, safe in the knowledge that for tonight, trainees are given more leeway for their celebrations. On normal nights, I’d have to sneak along this path hidden in the bushes and put up with all manner of bugs and poisonous plants if I was unlucky. The guards on patrol are quite slack though, and the ones that are vigilant I have long since befriended them.

As the camp rises before me, a small city of stone buildings all with different purposes, a small path splits off from the Path. I follow it, and watch it lead to a glade in the forest, with a large, imposing warehouse. It’s built like a barn, and is made to keep documents of unimportant logs such as logistics and the like.

The lock has been broken since I was first enlisted, and the military never really saw the need to replace a giant four-meter long lock and bolt inside the wall so it was always open. Open to me, and my friends who had discovered it. Though this night, everyone is at the party save one. I hope. I push open the door with little effort, though I hesitate to enter as it swings open.

“You’re late,” a high-pitched voice whines, dragging out the end of the sentence as it does so.

At the end of the warehouse is a red-haired girl. She sits sideways, pinning both legs beneath her tall, lithe figure. Pushing up her glasses, she frowns as she strains to see the label on a bottle she clasps in both hands in the dim lighting of the warehouse.

“Oui Ash, how long you wanna stand there sia?” Ziyan bubbles, her emerald eyes lighting up as she funnily enough finds a ray of light to brighten the label for her to read. “I got, uh, red grape juice from the capitol, and it can only be out of the fridge for three hours before it goes bad so we have twenty minutes before we poison ourselves, hurry up!”

“I’m never going to get used to your weird way of talking,” I call out as I stride across the creaky boards.

“Blame it on my family, I grew up this way,” she waves a hand dismissively as she uncorks it skillfully with her other.

She rummages in a tattered cloth bag next to her, pulls out two stone mugs and starts to pour.

“Whoa, where’d you get those? Carved stone utensils are expensive.”

“Yeah, nicked it from the kitchen too. They use it for VIPs so it counts for us.”

I look at Ziyan incredulously, as she raises an eyebrow at me in reply. Shaking my head, I accept the cup she proffers at me and drink deeply. The vintage is rich, but I can’t tell if it’s good or bad since it’s my first time actually trying anything like it.

“So, how was it?” the question is presented almost gently, but Ziyan is too brash for that.

“Bad, what did you expect?” I smile humorlessly as I gulp down yet another mouthful of the sweet beverage.

Ziyan cocks her head and bites the tip of her index finger as she goes into deep thought.

“Oh I wasn’t asking seriously,” I jab her forehead while trying not to sound irritated.

“Ow!” she vigorously rubs at her forehead, her eyebrows gathering together in clear disapproval of me.

“You asked for it,” I grin. “Where’s Pen?”

“In the bag, sleeping. I drugged him along with some cheese so he’d give us some silence.”

“Good call.”

“Want some food?”

“Whatever you got, Miss Hamster.”

“No problem, grandpa.”

As Ziyan hands over a variety of food she’s probably nicked from the canteen or somewhere, I finally sit down. I groan slightly and stretch out my legs, my jeans scraping on the uneven floor. I look over the motley selection she’s got and settle on some smoked ham which I lay over a French loaf.

I look over the girl across me, my best friend since enlisting. She’s laying waste to an egg salad, shoveling it into her mouth. As I brood over tomorrow, she catches me staring. With an effort she swallows, and comes up for breath.

“Oui grandpa, don’t worry about selections la,” she waves one hand. “We’ll just go on as we always have.”

“Really?” The question is full of dread and worry.

“I promise, and don’t worry, first titan that comes your way, I’m stealing it since you’re so weak,” Ziyan grins.

“Oh so you _think_ so eh?!”

Before I’m even on my feet she’s already bolted out of the warehouse, shrieking in delight at her successful insult. I laugh, as I stagger up and give chase. Before the night’s done she’s going down.

***

“Where to?” the voice is gruff and rough, typical of a soldier in the military.

I’m in the office of the Commandant, a nameless man who on the first day of camp literally introduced himself as the Commandant.  The voice didn’t match his statue though, seeing how the man was actually a dwarf. He sat on a pile of dusty tomes stacked on his high chair, a pen in one tiny hand and a form in the other.

The office is a small, Spartan one. There is a desk, a chair behind and in front of it and little else. The only redeeming feature of the office is the flower vase he has on his desk, little daisies from the Pathside arranged in it.

“You know, I thought there would be a parade or something.” I say, resting my arms on the tabletop.

He smiles and shakes his head. “Not this year, kid. The guys on top have something big coming so they aren’t all here to do the usual speech and all. Just little old me to fill up your forms. Where did you want to go again?”

“Scouting Legion.”

He nods. “Another crazy one.”

“Crazy…?”

His tiny head bobbles. “Of course. You’d have to be mad to have the guts to go outside the wall.”

I’m silent as I watch him bobble his stupid head. If it wasn’t for the fact that the man had shown himself of capable of flipping over one of the biggest recruits we had, I probably would’ve died of giggling by now.

“I don’t think we’re crazy.” I say quietly.

“No?”

“No.”

His pen stops filling in my particulars. “Explain, then.”

“I think we need to get out of this place eventually. Out of this wall and into the world outside.”

“Absolute madness.”

“No, just dreams and vision.”

“ _Vision_?”

“How long before those walls fall?”

“They won’t.”

“Can you be sure?”

“As sure as the sun rises and sets.”

“Can you tell me exactly when each day?”

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, one smooth hand reaching up to his wide forehead to wipe away the conspicuous layer of sweat that had been absent a mere minute before. “Whatever. This discussion is over.”

The Commandant peers at the small of stack of papers that represent the people who are going to join the Scouting Legion. I glance at it too, a little sad at how many forms there are. Or the lack there of.

As he scratches in the last of my details, he places it on the top of the pile and sighs.

“Plenty of crazy people, like I said. One who had a permit for a pet hamster, a couple who refused to get enlisted without each other even after I threatened to court martial them. Even got a noble girl saying she’s gunning for the Scouting Legion.”

I pause midway through getting up. “Noble?”

He throws his hands up. “Yes! Can you believe it? Her father is going to kick up a hell of a storm!”

“Did she say why?”

“Something about following a boy.”

For a moment, I foolishly hope she has done it for me. But then.

“Was there a, tall muscular guy here earlier? Handsome guy, sandy hair?” I raise my hands to indicate height.

“Yeah, going to same place as you. Why?” he quizzes a little curiously.

“Never mind. Thanks.” I make to leave.

“Oh ho, don’t thank me,” the dwarfs looks me in the eye. “For you it’s going to be hell. For me? Just another day at work.”

 


	3. Silver Streaked Hair

“We’re putting you into squads!” The Commander, a man by the name of Erwin, shouted down the hall in which all the rookies sat.

I almost could not control the urge to turn around and caress the new insignia plastered across my back. Next to me I could almost feel my skin starting to blister a little from the intense pride that Ziyan radiated, beaming happily and very obviously not listening to Commander Erwin’s speech.

The new rookies sat in a large briefing hall, in one of the Scouting Legion’s facilities near the wall. It was spacious and functional. Right now, rows of seats had been arranged in a semi-circle shape facing the front of the hall, where a small piece of canvas had been erected. On it, forty columns of words had been painted delicately on it.

Forty new squads of six rookies, each captained by a one-year veteran of the Scouting Legion. The only survivors of last year’s batch. And perhaps that was why Ziyan kept throwing me strange looks, because the vibes I was throwing off probably weren’t like the rest of us. None of the excitement, wonder, pride and curiosity I used to have whenever I touched the insignia of the Scouting Legion.

Now, there was _fear_.

 _Forty survivors_. From the previous batch of rookies to have joined the Scouting Legion. I gulped. Honestly. I did. It was ridiculous! How could there be so little survivors?! The Legion hadn’t even made any trips out of the walls last year, and yet only this minuscule number of rookies were left. It made no sense.

“Oui, Asher!” Ziyan tapped my face, a little cross. “Are you deaf? I said we have to get into our new squads now la!”

I looked at her dumbfounded, my head still trapped in a twirl of desperate calculations. She gave a huff of exasperation, grabbed my hand and dragged me from my seat. I let her take me through the crowd of rookies now milling about, trying to find their new squads. The squad captains stood at the edges of the hall, calling for members of their squad to assemble to them.

“…?” Ziyan made small confused sound and squeezed my hand tightly.

“Wha-?” I came up from my thought, scrambling to get a hold of my situation.

“Our captain isn’t here.”

“Huh? Are you sure?”

“I heard them call our names for Squad Thirty-seven! But there isn’t a captain calling for someone of our number…”

Looking around, it wasn’t hard to notice that only a small handful of us still stood without a squad. We stood in the midst of empty chairs, like lost birds.

“Ah, yes Squad Thirty-seven, your captain is a little… late. He will be here shortly, so why don’t you just settle where you are and get to know your new squad-mates?” Commander Erwin called out cheerfully from the front, brushing his blond hair back in slight embarrassment.

And just like that, the matter was settled. The six of us, in the center of the hall finally took time to take in each other, measure up our new teammates. As I glanced around, my heart took a break from keeping me alive. My lungs froze and I felt my eyelids stretch to their limit. Because standing demurely among the other four new members of my squad, was the utmost object of my desire. _Sarah._

What were the chances? I knew she’d already seen me, the way she instantly averted her gaze the moment I laid eyes on her, biting her lip in thought. I had so many questions to ask her. Why was she here? What did it mean? What, what had been enough to change her mind and bring her here? As I phrased those questions, unbidden a small voice tried to change the last question. What, or who had been able to do what I hadn’t?

As soon as that thought comes to mind, I already know. Hissing in frustration. I all of people should’ve known what that something was. Or rather, who that someone is. Ziyan placed a hand on my shoulder, alerting me to the facts that my thoughts are rising to my skin. It’s always been something I could never control, my inner turmoil always on display for the rest of the world to see. 

Without warning, a loud clap startles us into attention. Or rather, startles five of us into attention. The origin of the clap is a short, pale pasty boy. Thick glasses, seemingly glued to the bridge of his freckled nose, are overlapped by his rather long and messy black fringe.

“Let’s get to know each other!” he declares in a hoarse voice, arms wide open as his square shaped face broke into a welcoming smile. “I’m Wex, from the farming districts near Wall Maria. I joined the Scouting Legion to see the world!”

The rest of us look around blankly, before coming to a collective consensus. We’d play along.

“I’m Aloy, and this is Mel. We’re from an orphanage and we joined military because we didn’t know what else to do.” The guy who speaks is bespectacled as well, hair covering his left eye.

He isn’t too bad looking, but he looks like his features were either too big, or squeezed into too small a face. He has a crooked smile, and he’s well-muscled, obviously strong and maybe even good at combat. Long scars running down his right arm would certainly suggest so. The girl is almost as tall as Ziyan and is slim, her uniform hanging on her loosely. Her face is splattered with brown freckles and brown eyes judge everything that they lay their gaze on. Her lips are drawn thin as her bland gaze flickers among the members of the group. Doing what, I had no idea.

“Sarah.” Sarah’s speech is short, simple and impressively blunt.

“I’m Asher,” I say, raising my voice as I continue. “Used to live near the wall with my parents but they died in an accident. I joined because I was bored.”

The three that didn’t know me raised an eyebrow. I shrugged. It was who I was.

“Anddd I’m Ziyan!” Ziyan practically explodes into a ball of warm fluffy friendliness. “I’m Asher’s childhood friend, my parents died in the same accident as his, so I decided to follow him-” Here she cocks her head and a dangerous aura suddenly pours from the pores in her skin. “-To make sure I don’t lose the last member of my family.”

Her eyes smile away, but I have to tug roughly on the locks of Ziyan’s red hair, eliciting an outraged squeal from her.

“What?” she mutters indignantly, refusing to meet my glaring eyes.

“You’re totally doing it again you stupid hamster!” I hiss accusingly. “Don’t go around scaring everyone!”

Indeed, aside from Sarah, the other three eye my best friend warily, taking in this girl who switched personalities as quickly as a butterfly flitting from one flower to another.

“I was teasing them,” Ziyan pouted, tugging her hair free of my grasp.

“Yeah, but you don’t have to scare them!”

“Aw, you’re no fun.”

I sigh, running a hand over my face.

“Quite the handful, eh?” the voice that speaks is slightly higher-pitched than Ziyan and quick, almost as if it’s in a hurry to get the words out.

It belongs to the tall girl next to Aloy, Mel. She leans on one leg, arms crossed and a slight smirks ghosts past her face.

“Well,” Wex cuts in, “That’s everyone!”

And with that the six of us lapse back into the silence of strangers. Could this weird mix of people really form a cohesive squad? I had to wonder, because as I looked around, we were the only squad not laughing away, chatting happily as they bonded. Except one.

In the corner of the hall, near the doors a little circle had been drawn in the sea of soldiers in the hall. I realized that only our squad had really been talking during this time and that the rest of the squads had been watching the commotion.

Sarah had been watching too. Now I realized her back was turned on us and she stared intently at the center of everyone’s attention.

“And you are again…?”

“Nick Holt! … Sir!”

“And what was your complaint again, Mister Holt?” the squad captain was gargantuan, his voice was gruff and an unruly mop of hair finished off the thug look the man gave off.

The man had a bear-like face, which was currently busy being very amused.

“I shouldn’t be in this squad, Sir!” the owner of the voice looked down on the captain, strong handsome features arranged into an expression of challenge.

The two giant men faced off, chest to chest, as ripples of agitation ran through their muscled limbs.

“Why not?” the captain asked quietly.

“Sir, are we not placed into squads where the members complement each other?”

“Indeed.”

“Then I don’t belong here. I belong in Squad 37.”

And the man, the love of Sarah’s life and destroyer of my dreams, Nick Holt thrust one accusing finger at us.

And then the laughing started.

“Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!” On and on it echoed in the deadly quiet hall. “Oh, this boy is simply _hilarious_!”

“Captain-” The captain of Nick’s squad turns to the source.

“Well, hello Captain Bolt. Told you picking someone with such a similar surname was sure to be trouble!” The young man at the door bursts into bolts of laughter, doubling over to clutch at his belly.

When he straightens up, all the air in the hall is sucked out. Because he is beautiful. He is lanky and tasteful silver streaks run through shiny black hair. Big, ruby eyes seem to see through everything and as he grins, it’s like the atmosphere in the hall brightens just because he did.

“You, belong in _my_ squad? You sure?” he strolls in, swinging his arms as he does so.

Perhaps the warm, comfortable aura encourages Nick, because he replies in a hurried and eager tone.

“Yes, Sir, I believe that I can be a better soldier in your squad-.”

“Oh? How so? What can you do in my squad that you can’t do in yours?” the man adopts a quizzical expression, smiling as he does.

“I… I will be more motivated to do a better job!” Nick fumbles his words as he tries to skirt around his real reason.

“Oh you would, wouldn’t you?” the man stops right in front of Nick and leans forward. “Because of that girl perhaps?”

He points one finger at Sarah, and smirks as Nick whitens ever so slightly. Sarah takes one step back as the man glances our way, laying a clenched fist on her chest. Now that I’m looking at her, I realize that she’s turned a deathly white, her chest rising up and down in rapid breaths.

“Sarah?” I ask tentatively.

“Shut. Up.” Her voice is so full of fury, yet so confusingly full of fear that I don’t even register the pain in my own chest as I shrink away.

Nick stares at the man open-mouthed. Then, swallowing, his face hardens and he nods.

“That’s my girlfriend. We entered this division together and I would like that we were on the same squad.”

“Aw, me too,” the man croons, one hand rising up and grasping Nick’s bicep.

There’s a sharp hiss from Sarah as she abruptly takes a breath and Ziyan gives me a strange, probing look. I shrug, as I always do. I don’t know what’s going on either.

“So you’ll let me in?” Nick asks hopefully, his face brightening a little.

“Of course! Just as long as you pass this little test.”

“Hey Captain-” Captain Bolt’s suddenly very nervous.

“Shush Captain Bolt, let me do my thing. You’re welcome to stop me. No? Then don’t speak.”

The way the man talks, the way he treats the captains in the hall. The way how all the way at the back, Commander Erwin eyes him with narrowed slits, and with Sarah’s reaction. I feel the hairs on my arms rising ever so slightly.

“Say, Nick, do you know what this hall used to be?” the man asks pleasantly.

“Sir?”

“A holding facility for titans!” he grins as he stamps hard on a random panel in floor.

The floor around him cracks, and a large hole twenty meters wide opens up in the floor of the hall as the panels fold away like dominos.

Everyone except the captains and veterans of the Scouting Legion scoots back from its edges, as shrill screams and shrieks punctuate the air.

“It still is.” he happily whistles.

The hole opens to reveal a large dented steel cage with an open roof that takes up the entirety of the hole. It’s about ten meters deep and a large soft mattress lies to one side. Roars emanate from within. The roars of a live titan.

“It’s a three meter class!” the man calls cheerfully, although his smile is dangerously crazy now. “Now, here’s the test. Survive.”

And to the screams of the horrified crowd, the angry captains and the heart-rending shrieks of Sarah, the man with the silver streaked hair pushes Nick Holt into a cage with a live titan.

 

 

 

 


	4. Into The Jaws

“What are you waiting for?” the silver-streak bastard of a murderer called, strolling briskly to the opposite side of the pit, the side that we were on. “You wanna let your friend die?”

“He’s dead, you threw him into an enclosed space with a bloody titan!” Sarah spat, her features drawn back in rage, eyes blazing as she rose to her full height.

“Take a closer look, little one,” silver-streak laughs, sticking his face forward so that he was nose to nose with Sarah.

Its two or three seconds before Sarah absorbs the man’s words, but already Ziyan is at the edge, on her knees and eyes bulging as she looks into the pit.

“He’s alive!” Ziyan shouts incredulously, twisting around and giving me an amazed smile.

“What do you mean?” Wex yells over the roars of the titan, cupping his ears to hear her better, just as much of the crowd is doing to listen the red-haired girl’s news.

Sarah is frozen, her face turned to Ziyan and filled with uncertain hope. Everyone holds their breath.

“The titan is chained down! Nick fell just out of his rea- Oh!” Ziyan lets out a puff of air as Sarah pushes her aside rather forcefully in her rush to confirm Nick’s survival herself.

As one, the crowd surges forward, the people in front hastily stopping a few feet away from the edge. I notice in my rush that none of the Captains seem to be particularly concerned, just really angry. They stay where they are, letting their rookies run forward. At the back, Commander Erwin smiles a little.

Down in the pit, Nick has fallen on the mattress has his back propped up against the side of the pit, steel metal bars disallowing him from retreating any further. The giant of a man hyperventilates, sweat pouring down his face in buckets. If I strained, ever so slightly under the titan’s roars I could hear his terrified gasps.

I understand. Because even as I stand up here, I want to scream in total fear and run away from the abomination at that towers over Nick. It has dirty brown waist-length hair, and huge swells of muscle strained angrily under its skin. The huge monster let out yet another ear-splitting cry, as it brandished colossal claws where its hands should’ve been. Large furrows in the floor show the monster’s mad struggles as it attempted to reach Nick.

Around its neck, is a horrifyingly thin metal collar.  A delicate looking chain, extends from its back and is wrapped around one bar of the cage. Even as we look down at it, anyone can see the rings in the chain slowly being pulled out of shape the by the titan’s strenuous efforts.

“You’re joking,” Sarah is once again in silver-streak’s face. “There is no way he’s safe. That chain is going to break!” She flails her arms in agitation, distress weaving itself into her voice.

“Yes, yes it is.” Silver-streak says it so matter-of-factly that I can’t help but flinch. “So that’s why I say, do you wanna let him die?”

“Of course not la! Are you stupid?!” Ziyan demands, her accent back in full force.

“Delightful accent. Foreign?” Silver-streak inquires innocently, before the Ziyan lets loose an acidic glare and he hastily continues. “Good, so you, Squad thirty-seven, are going to save him. Everyone, _out_!”

His last, barked order has the captains in the hall suddenly waking from their sleep as frozen statues. I still didn’t know who this man was, but it was blatantly obvious he was someone of great authority. The captains ushered out the other rookies, fiercely shouting down anyone who protested, cuffing some around their heads.

Within seconds, the hall was empty and quiet. Except for Commander Erwin, who still watched the spectacle with a detached interest and the six of us who belonged in squad thirty-seven. Silver-streak looks at each one of us slowly. His eyes seem to take in each person, examine them in their entirety and then move on. All the while he walked slowly to the edge of the pit, ignoring the furious glares of Sarah and Ziyan.

Wex stands to one side, his mouth still hung open in shock, light from the dim overhanging lanterns bouncing off his glasses. Aloy and Mel are next to him, looking extremely bemused by what had just transpired in the last few minutes.

“Who are you?” Mel asks curiously, running one hand through her hair.

“Do you have time to ask?” Silver-streaks shoots back.

“Of course _not_ ,” Sarah interjects in a hurry, teeth clenched.

“Good! Here, is your solution.” Silver-streaks points to a place behind the titan.

I see it as soon as he points it out. It’s made of the same material as the cage and in a hurry it is easy to miss. A ladder.

“That’s behind the titan.” I state quietly.

“Yes, so it is.”

“How are we going to get him there?”

“I dunno. Kill the titan for me?” Silver-streak smirked, stomping on yet another panel in the floor.

It opens to reveal a rack of the unique rectangular swords soldiers used to fight titans.

“Jump down there, and help your friend, if you want to so badly.” Silver-streaks says breezily.

I stare at him aghast. “Are you freaking serious?”

“Why not? Your friend is already going. See?” he gestures at Sarah, whom by the time I look up to see that he’s pointing at her, has already somehow acquired a pair of blades.

Shoulders set, back straight and face held high, frozen in determination, she disappears down the pit.

The rest of us stand there in silence.

“Ah damn it, let’s go.” Ziyan gets up and walks over to the sword rack.

“Yeah, lets.” I reply softly, as I follow suit, reaching to clutch two of the lethal weapons in my hands.

To my surprise, another three pair of hands reach before mine and pick up the swords.

“You don’t know the two of them, none of you don’t have to do this,” I whisper under my breath.

“Meh, we’re all in the same squad anyway,” Mel replies with a grin. “It looks like fun, and Aloy always said he’d be all macho and make his first kill before me.”

“I so will okay,” Aloy ruffles Mel’s hair roughly as he replies.

“Watch the sword!”

“Ah, sorry.”

“Well? Ready?” Wex asks.

The bespectacled boy looks at Squad Thirty-Seven who are all gathered around the sword rack save Sarah. Maybe it was coincidence, but the five of us nod in unison and as one turn to the pit. We had a great, big ugly titan to kill.

“Scared?” Ziyan teases me, one hand on my trembling arm.

“Yeah, a little.”

“You’re the only one,” she giggles. “Everyone else is hyped. We’ve trained for this. Let’s go!”

***

**It’s been a while since it last saw light. The last time it did, there was so much food flying around, with painful stings and great dense lines that could wrap around it and stop it from moving. And before the food came, there was a long period of wandering around in the light. Before the light? It didn’t remember. It had only ever known the light.**

**And then it had been stopped by the lines that its food had thrown around it. The lines had strangled it, encircling its entire body and its food had pulled it to the ground shrieking and struggling to the ground. It had been placed on a large of floating floor, put together with many dead bits of wood. Its food had flittered all about it happily and making gestures at it.**

**And then it had been carried away from where it had always wandered, to a place with stones stacked high. They had brought it below the ground, out of its beloved light. A large line had been placed around its neck, and it had been left there alone. It had tried to wander away, but huge thick lines prevent it from leaving, and the floor was a tough grey, not the soft green of its home. It was hungry and tired. It waited.**

**And one day, the sky opened. And warm, precious light flooded into the desolately dark place it had been thrust into. And food fell in. One morsel of food had fallen in. And it went berserk. It was ravenous.**

**The hunger that had started out as a tiny itch had grown into a vicious beast that raged around in its belly ceaselessly. It would stop soon though. It was about to be sated!**

**Raged and screamed in infuriation as it realized, the dense line on its back didn’t let it reach its food. It scraped the floor in anger, with such strength that desperation to feed had brought on that today, the floor felt as weak as that of home.**

**And then one more morsel jumped in. But this one was different. This one had stings. It darted quickly beyond its malnourished arms. And then another five jumped in, one after the other. All of them had stings, and easily escaped its reach. They probably had come to protect the little morsel of food behind them. But it wouldn’t matter soon. They had nowhere to run, and the dense line on its back stretched to the breaking point.**

**It pulled back its malformed lips in a vicious grin. Food was food, stings or not.**

*******

“So, what do we do now?” Wex breathed.

The six of us stood in a line, a human barrier protecting Nick against the angry, very hungry titan that strained against an increasingly thin chain.

“Oh, thank you thank you thank you…” Nick babbled, hands covering his face.

“Shush, love. We’ll get out of this.” Sarah whispered to him, all the while facing the threat against her boyfriend without as much as a twitch in her face.

Nick quietened down, sobbing quietly and hiccupping. I would’ve sneered but I wasn’t sure that in his place, I wouldn’t be any different.

“Nape of its neck. We gotta get that.” I say, mustering my thoughts.

“Aye, we all got that,” Ziyan mutters, sticking both swords in the ground and reaching up behind her head to tie her hair up in a pony-tail.

“What are you doing now?! We’re in the middle-.” I yell, eyeing the ever weakening chain.

“Of a fight yeah, relax. This is my titan mode.” Ziyan grins at me.

“We get it on its knees, and red hair there jumps and aims for the neck,” Mel suggests, pointing one pointy end at Ziyan.

“Why me?” Ziyan replies, furrowing her brow as she does.

“Because you’re the tallest girl here and I can’t jump for shit. The guys can take care its legs right?”

“I suppose so,” I say a little nervously.

“Lover girl here and I will keep ugly face on its toes. Those claws are fast so since I’m quick and she’s small we’ll do fine.”

“Yeah, just one question, why are you in charge?” Wex demands, his face a little flushed.

“Got a better plan?” Aloy questions him.

After a few seconds of silence, Sarah asks impatiently. “It’s settled. Can we go now? I still want to have the next valentine with Nick.”

I wince mentally, but nod, as do the others.

And again, as if we somehow all sense each other tensing up, squad Thirty-Seven explodes into action.

Ziyan raced along the edge of the cage, taking a long detour to behind the titan. The three boys advanced on the titan a little nervously, Aloy and Wex slipping behind me. I cursed, but kept moving forward. I didn’t want to look like a coward.

In front of us, the titan wobbled dangerously, its arms swinging in a frenzied attempt to capture the two crazed human blurs that slipped in and out of its claws, rolling in-between its legs and slashing at its feet before zipping out its reach. The titan roared in frustration as under the ministrations of Sarah and Mel, it was reduced to a clumsy ball of random movement.

“We need it to stay still!” Wex calls out as the boys edged ever so slowly towards the titan.

“Got it!” Mel yells, parrying the tip of one huge claw as she did.

The sword melted before the claw, leaving Mel with a metal stump. Cursing, she spun around and ran to meet up with Sarah. Together, the two of them sprinted towards us, the titan lumbering behind them.

“Not towards us!” Aloy screamed, but it was too late as the girls streaked past us and the titan stumbled towards us.

“Damn it!” Wex leapt aside, pulling Aloy with him and leaving me alone in the titan’s path.

“Asher!” Ziyan screeched, already behind the titan but looking at me with horror.

The sound of Ziyan galvanizes me into action. As the titan swipes at me with one hand, I duck, feeling the claw where its little pinky should have been ripping the back of my uniform. Cold air crashes against my bareback, as I ran forward and jam both my swords hilt deep into the titan’s right ankle.

Mel slams into me, and manages to knock me aside just as the titan collapses to one knee, yowling in pain and slashing with one claw the place where I stood a second previously. Sarah distracts it, slashing at its waist before quickly retreating and causing it to fumble awkwardly towards its right where she is to try and swipe her and crush her bones. Sarah dances out of its reach, slashing at the tips of its claws with her swords. In its anger and inability to get up, the titan bends towards her and lurched precariously off-balance.

As one, Wex and Aloy charge the monster which had always lurked outside the walls of our home. Wex stops mid rush and slides forwards, spinning as he does. His swords blur and cut into the titan’s left hand like butter and cause it to jerk its torn appendage away. And just like that, Aloy takes the plunge, dashing into the gap it leaves in the titan’s defense and follows my suit, sinking his swords into the titan’s other ankle. He rolls out of the way, just before the titan finally crumples, falling on both knees.

And with a shriek that splits the heavens wide, Ziyan runs for it, before she leaps for all she’s worth and spins midair, a tornado of sharp lethal death and decimates the titan’s neck. It can’t even scream, because Ziyan shreds through its flesh thoroughly and instantly.

It implodes into a ball of steam, its skeleton crumbling in on itself.

Silence falls.

Everyone’s in shock.

We’re all breathing hard, blood pounding in our heads.

Clapping starts.

It’s Silver-streak.

“And _that,_ Nick is what my chosen Squad is made of. Now, you said something about belonging in it?”

 

 

 


	5. A Week

“Tell me the truth, you’ve never actually done anything like this, have you?” I stated flatly, my tone inconsistent with my agonized face.

“Nope, just sit still and hope I don’t make it worse,” Mel promptly slapped another dash of ointment on my back and sending jolts of pain swimming through my veins.

I groaned in despair and through slit eyes scowled at the trio in front of me grinning happily away. Ziyan, Wex and Aloy sat around the round table in our common room. It was a round room, with ten doors splitting away from it. Seven led to separate bedrooms, one led to a washroom, another was the kitchen and the last was a door to the outside.

The hall itself wasn’t very big and with five of us here, it was already cramped and I didn’t look forward to when seven of us had to squeeze to all fit in here. There was a square table with chairs in the center, and the rest of the brick room was empty save for a fireplace to warm up the place.

I hadn’t seen the bedrooms, but Ziyan had helped me carry my stuff into my allotted room and come back with the news that it was just as bare, with a tiny cupboard to keep our clothes and a bed to sleep on.

During the fight, the titan had slashed and torn my uniform. In the process, its sharp claws had the nicked the surface of my skin and left a red line tracing the entirety of my back. Mel had dug around the kitchen and found the remains of a first aid kit. Despite Wex’s protest that he was a qualified first-aider, the little witch had insisted on doing inflicting her torturous ministrations on my wound.

“I’m pretty sure you’re making worse on purpose,” I accuse her, reaching behind me and swatting away her hand.

“Meh, I’m done anyway. Hope it doesn’t get better,” There’s a small pop as Mel corks the marble jar, clinks rising from the first aid kit as she slide it back into the box with the other bottles.

I hiss in pain as I put my shirt back, the rough cloth pressing right up against the cut. Mel gets up to return the kit to the kitchen and I get off the dusty floor, stretching my legs as I do so. The windows are open and the air is damp from a drizzle that accompanied a sun that set about two hours ago. Dinner was late, silver-streak himself having said that he’d bring our dinner over for us.

It’d been a like a dream, after killing that titan. Everyone had been in a state of shock and it was only that that had stopped us from picking up our swords and going after silver-streak himself. Commander Erwin had disappeared by the time we had climbed out of the pit. Captain Bolt had come to collect a traumatized and shell-shocked Nick from us. Sarah made no move to follow him even though it was obvious to the rest of us that she was practically vibrating with concern for her boyfriend.

Instead, her gaze was riveted on Silver-streak. It bore into him, searching and probing. Silver-streak only smirked at her and turned to the rest of us.

“Hello, I’m your captain. Capable, good soldiers call me Bryan. Untalented rookies like you call me Captain Rannariku.”

Perhaps because it was such a normal name for the most abnormal person I’d ever met, but I couldn’t control the disbelief that floated to my face. Bryan laughs as he catches my expression.

“Hey no one can tell if their kid is going to be amazing at birth, but I am,” he confidently announces. “No need for introductions, the captains all handpicked their own squads so I’ve already read all your files. I’ll tell you more about myself later, but I think you could all use a break after all that’s happened.”

With that, he threw Mel a sheet of paper with detailed instructions on where our squad was to be lodged and left, saying that he’d also bring us dinner. We left the hall only to be greeted by an empty camp. Everyone else had already retreated to their private lodgings and we were the only ones left.

Our own lodging was a small brick house near to a stream. It was the last in a row of identical houses and when we approached we could see the other rookies there, all busy adapting to their new lives. Upon seeing us they openly avoided us, many refusing to meet our glances and others simply walked the other way. Not that we minded, we’d had more than enough for one day. Being flooded by questions was less desirable than being ignored by the others.

Once inside, Sarah had simply picked the first open room and locked herself inside. The rest of us settled in and Mel decided to treat the cut on my back, which we’d only noticed halfway walking up here when my uniform begun to turn red.

And now the front door swung open, to reveal Captain Rannariku laden with two cardboard boxes. Wex and Aloy scramble off their seats to help him while Ziyan quickly goes to alert Sarah that the captain is here. Mel and I take a seat around the table, too tired to do anything else.

Sarah comes out of her room, silently taking the seat opposite me while Ziyan takes one on my side. Wex and Aloy return from having placed the boxes, which have been revealed to contain food, in the kitchen and settle down. Captain Rannariku himself stands at the front of the table and the six of us.

“You know, the most curious thing today is that none of you have bothered to greet me even one.”

There’s a moment of hesitation. This, after all, was the insane jerk that had thrown a fellow human being into a cage with our species’ greatest enemy. Then had had the gall to order us to risk our lives solving his problem.

“Well?” he asks expectantly.

The past two years training kick in, our instinct to obey officers overriding our personal thoughts. In unison, six chairs scraped back as the squad snaps erect, our arms swing up to form a salute, with one fist behind our backs and one on our chests.

“Captain Rannariku, Sir!” Our voice merge into one, echoing strongly in the small common room.

“Ouch, too loud,” Captain Rannariku rubs one ear while grinning. “At ease. Take a seat, young ones.”

We follow his orders and relax a little, although we still sit a little stiffly.

“Hello there, I’ve already introduced myself so you all know me. You’ve all been selected by me to be members of my squad. Some of you may be with a familiar friend. I’ve done so because the two of you working in tandem is to this squad’s advantage.” He throws a knowing look at Aloy, Mel, Ziyan and I.

“Rest assured that I have chosen you based on your potential to work well with each other. If you attempt to pretend that you cannot do so in hope that you may be transferred, give it up. I’ll court-martial the whole lot of you before I let one of you transfer.”

“What’s that supposed to be mean?” Sarah says quietly, defiantly.

The captain swivels ever so slowly to face his new charge. His eyes bore deep into hers, searching for what, I could only guess. The conflicting auras had an almost tangible feel to it.

“What do you think it means?” he smirks.

“If you have something you want to say to me, say it to my face,” the petite girl says, straightening her back as she does.

“Say it to my face, _sir_ ,” Captain Rannariku corrects her.

Sarah pauses, then she spits it out grudgingly. “Sir.”

He nods approvingly.

“I know I am strange,” he grins at the rest of us, who up till now have kept our faces blank. “Unlike the other captains, I am not originally from the Scouting Legion, I myself transferred over from the Military Police. You will all eventually warm up to me I’m sure.” With that, he bursts into laughter and shatters the tension in the room like glass.

Five of us take a breath and Sarah settles back into her chair, her cheeks burning. It’s not lost on the rest of us that whatever issue made her so afraid of the Captain initially has been dealt with. Captain Rannariku enthusiastically goes to the kitchen and retrieves our dinners.

“Just for today, I brought your dinners. Tomorrow you guys decide among yourselves who is to collect the meals. Also decide who does the house chores and whatnots please, I like independent people who I don’t have to babysit every step of their lives.” His silver hair glints in the candle light as he hands our dinner to us, steamed rice with boiled chicken and carrots.

Everyone digs in, the common room quiet save the sounds of chewing and utensils banging on the sides of our bowls. Halfway through the meal, the captain suddenly quizzes the squad on the history of the kingdom. Asking us about the walls that had kept us safe from the titans for a hundred years, the three military divisions that enforced humanities hopes, safety and will. I have no idea why.

After everyone is done, Wex collects all the bowls and goes to wash them. The captain gives us the night off, and follows Wex to help clean up. Sarah instantly locks herself in her room again, much to annoyance of Mel who is just bursting with questions for her. She and Aloy go out for a short walk, promising to return before curfew. I sit in the common room with Ziyan, the two of us lost in our own thoughts.

“What do you think?” Ziyan suddenly asks me, resting her chin on her hands. “Crazy day, huh?”

“Pretty much sums it up, yeah,” I admitted, air gushing out of me as I sighed.

“Didn’t think my first day would’ve started with me killing a titan.” Her hair is loose now, hanging over her shoulder in red sheets.

“Didn’t think my first day would have me in a squad with Sarah.” I say glumly.

“Aw, why so sad?” Ziyan smiles gently. “Relax, it’s not that bad.”

“She probably wonders why I’m here but Nick isn’t,” I reply, feeling my face shift into depression.

“Probably. Who cares?” Ziyan punches my shoulder hard and smirks. “You’re the one here. I’d say fate has something to say about Nick.”

I laugh, amused by the notion that fate may have other thoughts about Sarah’s soul mate. Footsteps sound on the wooden floor and Wex and Captain Rannariku exit from the kitchen. My brow furrows slightly because Wex looks even paler than he originally did, and his face is more than a little frightened. Next to him Captain Rannariku beams at us, and then makes from his room, closing the door soundlessly behind him.

“What is it?” I ask Wex, a little suspicious at his behavior.

He sits down, clutching his head with two hands. He breathes hard and his eyes are terrified.

“Oui, ghost boy, what’s wrong?” Ziyan barks at him, irritated by his silence.

“Hey, Asher right?” Wex looks up at me.

“Yeah.”

“Have you ever heard of rookies being sent on expeditions in their first year?”

“Expeditions? You mean, outside the wall?” Ziyan barges in, excitement lighting up her face.

“What’re you so happy about?!” Wex demands. “It’s a death sentence! We haven’t even settled in yet and already…”

“We’re being sent on an expedition soon?” I’m incredulous and now all previous thoughts have been discarded.

“Yeah.” Wex still seems really unhappy about it.

“Captain Rannariku told you?” Ziyan practically bounces in her seat.

“Yeah.”

“When? When do we go?”

Wex takes off his glasses. Clear grey eyes stare at the space in front of him, their pupils unfocused. For the slightest moment they shiver in their sockets.

“A week from now, we’re setting off.”

***

**It had almost been killed by its food. So very close. The stings had proven to be quite dangerous and it had felt its head being cut off. A sudden inability to breathe, to roar and to see struck it. An inability to even _think_. **

**Now, dimly, it felt itself regenerating. It was able to see again, to smell, to roar… To think. Think. What was thinking? It tried to grasp the word but then it slipped out of its mind. What was it doing now? It was dark, and quiet…**

**It felt different. Had something changed? Ah, it grasped the place around its neck, the line had fallen off! That was good. But it knew that the bars were still too thick and without light it didn’t feel like doing anything.**

**Footsteps. It perked up. Lights shone through the bars, their shadows falling upon it. It turned to the source.**

**Food was carrying light towards it. Three teeny tiny morsels of food to be exact. Two of them carried the third one between them. The third morsel was covered in lines too. How strange. It didn’t care. Without a seconds warning it was slamming itself against the bar, screaming and shrieking. It was hungry and it had to try and get the food before it ran away. And then the food did the most particular thing.**

**The two morsels threw the third morsel towards it. The third morsel rolled well in its reach and it seized on it. It would not be denied. The food struggled and cried, but it was too late, because it simply swallowed him whole. There was a moment as the cries of its food faded away.**

**And then suddenly, it jerked. Sudden, lightning pain arced through its body, causing it to bend over. It put its pain into its voice, the results bouncing off the confines of this dark place. It could feel itself twitching violently, its body in spasms. And then it was no more.**

 

 

 


End file.
